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"The Government's revocation of RSSs will lead to a further brake on development. It is alarming that the Government believes that their revocation is remotely consistent with encouraging investment, economic growth and housing. There will be an inevitable hiatus in policy formulation at the local level whilst Councils re-align their thinking and back away from the regional housing numbers. We are seeing that already with authorities now delaying their Core Strategies. The statement that the LDF system will be further reformed will provide an excuse for authorities who wish to tread water on Core Strategies and housing delivery.

The vague notion of local incentives to deliver new homes is undefined and lacks any detail. It is a huge leap of faith to expect incentives to provide the necessary stimulus to deliver housing at a local level, particularly in parts of the South East where consenting new homes in the numbers needed is simply a "no go" for locally elected Members.

The debate on RSSs has become too polarised on housing. Their abolition will impinge not just on new housing but on a range of other key areas, including delivery of regional infrastructure, which is vital to economic growth.

The planning system is being dismantled before there is any clear idea of what will come next. The Government acknowledges the importance of avoiding uncertainty over planning policy until new legislation is enacted and yet that is precisely the position it is creating. Developers are likely to be gravely concerned about these further steps."